Spring Cleaning
by wallflowerwriter
Summary: Yuki's reflection upon his tumultuous past. There's some Yuki/Tohru at the end. Rated T for mentions of abuse.
1. Beginning Thoughts

Disclaimer: Shockingly enough, I do not own Fruit's Basket....

A/N: Here's Yuki's little reflection upon his past....should be multi-chapter...and I would love reviews...another shocker, I know... :)

Spring Cleaning

Yuki sighed contentedly as he gazed out the glass window. His radiant violent eyes sparkled with beautiful, unabashed emotion as he studied Miss Tohru Honda outside hanging the wash. Tohru had cheerfully announced that morning that she would be doing some spring cleaning—she had then proceeded to drag out every rug from their rooms, every article of clothing from their closets, and yes, every towel lying about the place. Many loads later, Tohru had decided to enjoy the wonderful spring air so out she went with her many baskets of laundry. Though Yuki had sincerely offered to help hang the dripping wash, Tohru enthusiastically replied that it was her job, not his. Yuki smiled suddenly. Tohru had now begun singing, her voice rivaling the sweetness of the twittering birds. Her bright countenance outshined even the sun. Her blue eyes sparkled like the massive, cloudless sky looming above them. Just as suddenly, however, Yuki frowned. His rare smile quickly vanished and his bright eyes dimmed once again to their usual secretive depths.

Akito was happy like Tohru one moment, Yuki mused. Then, before he knew it, Yuki was locked in that tiny room with Akito menacingly towering over him, an evil grin on his face. Yuki stared listlessly through the clear window, no longer focused on the sweet scenery outside. Over the years, Yuki had realized that Akito was never truly happy; he just put on this superficially cheerful front around others. Those who didn't know Akito's unique curse remained completely oblivious while those who did indeed know never even ascertained how truly affected Akito was by his unjustified tragedy. However, Yuki saw through Akito's façade. He really had no choice though. The morning after every torment, Yuki always had to cover up the menacing bruises marring his flawless skin. Hatori knew of the abuse as well; after all, Akito always sent Yuki to Hatori's office after a beating. Shigure suspected, or simply figured, that Akito _would_ abuse Yuki.

Yuki blinked, looking for all the world to simply be stalking Tohru. However, his thoughts again took a sour turn. Ayame, his supposed brother. Now Ayame…he had simply refused to see, to recognize that all was not well in the little Sohma world. At least the others admitted a problem existed although they could do nothing to stop it. After all, Akito deserved their respect…or at the very least, their immediate obedience.

That was the worst part—not the abuse itself but the fact that Yuki deserved it. In actuality, all the Sohma's had only believed that Akito should abuse anyone he so desired. Until a few years ago, that is. At that point in time, Yuki realized he had done nothing wrong; Akito was simply venting at the horrid injustice done upon him.

Finally, Yuki had decided that he had had enough. He easily cajoled Shigure into agreeing to take Yuki away. Shigure, of course, knew the real reason Yuki wanted to move away; he also knew that Yuki couldn't convince Akito on his own. Therefore, Yuki decided Shigure should imagine a plausible cause for the two of them to leave this prison Akito called home. In order to accomplish this pretense, Yuki also determined that they should tell no one of their plan. Shigure agreed. The very next day, Shigure reasoned with Akito that he needed to move away "for the peace and quiet a true author not only desires, but absolutely _needs_." Shigure also continued to request that Yuki join Shigure because even authors do need some company, albeit somewhat quiet company. Akito showed no signs of anger or mistrust…until later that day.

The entire week following Shigure's initial plea, Akito savagely beat Yuki. Then, at the few parties he hosted that week, he would "lovingly" chastise Yuki for training too hard in the dojo. Yuki would paste on a smile before walking stiffly away, not allowing any object to even brush against the tender bruises hidden underneath his many garments. The girls especially chided him, saying he deserved to be sore from training too hard. Yuki knew he couldn't take much more of this.

At the very beginning of the next week, Shigure went immediately to Hatori's office (as he often did); but this time, Shigure had decided to reveal Yuki's hope of escape. Hatori instantly knew what he should do.


	2. Just a Little Cleaning

A/N: Sooo, I sincerely apologize for the year's wait. Ya might wanna go reread the first chapter. In my defense, I..got nothing...but hopefully my writing has somewhat improved... Hope you enjoy! ^^

Disclaimer: A miracle happened over the past year and I now still don't own Fruits Basket...ah well .

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Just a Little Cleaning

The very next day, Shigure went to Yuki with rather surprising news. They were leaving in the coming week to a comfortably sized house nearby. Yuki would be enrolled in an all-boys private school, and he would be expected back at the Sohma house for the holidays, especially New Years'. Too delighted to rebel against the given mandates, Yuki rejoiced. They began preparations immediately. The whole family buzzed with the news. The naïve ones wondered why Yuki even wanted to leave. The cursed ones wondered if this meant they could depart as well. Akito studiously avoided Yuki—though he watched the little rat more than ever. Yuki would be practicing martial arts in the courtyard when he would suddenly feel icy cold. Shivers would tingle down his spine. His adrenaline pumping, he would discreetly search for the intrusion when a curtain moving would barely catch his gaze. _Akito_, his mind would scream, his breath quickening, his pulse racing, his fists clenched at his sides. Each experience brought longer bouts of panic. What bothered Yuki the most about these experiences was the moving curtain. Akito knew leaving but a few seconds earlier would leave his presence completely unknown. So why the moving curtain? Did the monster want to scare him? Yuki blinked back to the present. _Well_, he thought, _it worked_. For the following week, Yuki grew more and more nervous about his escape. He abhorred those feelings of uncertainty; he loved being calm and in control. He loved his emotional distance from others. It was comfortable. Even now, he still did.

By the time the day of the move had arrived, Yuki was a disaster. He made his bed, then remade it twenty four more times. In fact, he was starting his twenty fifth go at it when a maid walked in. She calmly stepped between him and the bed and swiftly stripped the bed of the sheets before stuffing them into her basket and walking back out the room. Yuki blinked in utter disbelief. That was the only time he forgot to think that day.

"Paranoid!" Shigure sang out when Yuki finally shared the reason for the prolonged tension. "Cautious," Yuki reasoned. Yup, the reason for all his quirks that day had been caution. His normally perfect hair was mussed from his hand constantly moving through it. His new shirt already sported a worn spot in the corner his fingers insisted upon worrying thin. His suitcase latch broke after the hundredth time of repacking. After finding a new suitcase, he naturally proceeded to pack and repack a hundred more times. By the time they were finally leaving, Shigure was ready to strangle the bothersome mouse. Ooh, and if that stupid rat looked back at the gate one more time, he would.

As the days passed, Yuki grew more comfortable in his independence. He first transferred to a public school, not that his private school would notice him missing. Shigure smiled knowingly when Yuki explained the switch as one of convenience since the public school was closer. (Shigure also started singing about high school girls at that point, Yuki realized belatedly.) Yuki even got involved in his new school, participating in many diverse clubs.

But then, he really hadn't a choice now that he thought about it. Even on his first day, the girls all flocked to him, squealing some nonsense about him being the perfect "mysterious transfer student." That he was such a gentleman only added to his popularity. The chess club had been the first. He was sitting in the cafeteria, the usual girls surrounding him, when one such girl blurted out, "I noticed you weren't in any clubs, Yuki-san, and I was wondering if you would like to join the chess club. We meet on Tuesdays to play chess. It's so amazing you should totally come. Please?"

She finally took a great breath before giving Yuki a look so expectant, the mouse didn't know what to say. Taking his silence as rejection, the girl bowed in apology, "I'm sorry. I just thought you might like, but of course…just forget I even asked…"

She then proceeded to cry. Yuki looked at the table of shocked girls before turning back to the girl. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he waited until she looked back up at him. Smiling his Princely smile, he spoke gently, "I would love to join your club. I can't believe I didn't think about it sooner."

Soon, and in much the same fashion, Yuki had joined five clubs—chess club, debate team, drama club, class council, and tennis. Scratch that. Four clubs. He spent about a day in tennis club before he put his foot down. He couldn't play tennis! He would stick to his physical training at home, thank you very much. When no one argued his polite withdrawal from the club, his pride admittedly smarted a bit.

Other than the stupid tennis incident, all club activities went reasonably well until one fateful day in the cafeteria. An obnoxious student decided she should start a Yuki fan club. She looked so pleadingly at him that the Prince again agreed, not wanting to cause discord. He quickly came to regret his acceptance. The leader and her minions (what else could he call them?) grew obsessive. Others grew brave enough to confess their apparent feelings for him, which meant immediate rejection. He thought this would damage his reputation and therefore his popularity; but no, if anything, his popularity strengthened. Everyone knew him as the unattainable Prince, but they kept coming back to him for a glimpse of that dark mysterious side. _Perhaps_, Yuki mused. _Akito had a valid reason for wanting him in an all-boys academy_.

His popularity not giving him peace from the loneliness he pretended did not exist, he searched for hobbies to fill his time. He found a secluded clearing and started a garden there, a pastime which Akito considered women's work. He felt most comfortable there; he felt useful. Even there though, he had tried not to think; but at home, with Tohru, it was different. Yuki looked thoughtfully through the clear, glass panes at Tohru. He smiled, a pleasant idea forming in his mind. Through Tohru, he had opened up. Though he shuddered to compare himself to a flower, he honestly had blossomed. He had even faced several demons from his past with her help. No wonder he could think about his past somewhat peacefully now. There was something he'd always wondered though...

"And how is our lovely Tohru this morning?" Shigure sang out, upon entering the room. He came closer and squinted out the window. "Oh, I do love when she wears that pretty, little apron. She looks so cute!"

"Pervert," Yuki muttered before swiftly hitting Shigure on the head. Shigure instantly doubled over, dramatically rubbing his head. "Hmph, at least I'm honest. Do I even want to know what you were thinking, practically drooling at the window? And you call me a pervert. I don't think so."

Yuki's face remained impassive. "Actually, I was thinking about Akito."

"Oh."

Shigure waited, desperately hoping Yuki would continue.

"I think I have everything sorted out though," Yuki smiled politely.

Shigure sighed disappointedly before nodding sadly and turning away. Yuki's voice suddenly stopped him, "Actually, I was wondering one thing though..."

Shigure turned and waited, hopeful and expectant. Yuki continued, "How did you convince Akito to let me go?"

Shigure blinked. He hadn't expected that question. "I didn't. Hatori did. He told me later about it. It didn't quite hold a candle to the episode with Kana, but it was still close. Akito and Hatori argued about it all night. By dawn though, Hatori finally won."

"But how?"

"With the truth. Hatori told Akito you would die if you continued living there. Not 'could,' but 'would.' This greatly angered Akito so he became violent. He threw some stuff around and hit Hatori a few times, but Akito knew the doctor was right. You would die, and Akito couldn't have that. Under that cold and cruel exterior, he really does care, you know. You have to realize that."

Yuki nodded thoughtfully and stared back out the window. Shigure bowed and turned to leave.

"Thank you, Shigure," Yuki whispered, still facing the window.

Shigure smiled and nodded before finally leaving the room. Yuki tilted his head thoughtfully. Akito cared about him? The thought overwhelmed him. How could someone who supposedly cares for Yuki have beaten him? The very idea was incomprehensible to him. It was even more ludicrous than saying that he and Kyo were best friends! Yuki paused. Now that he thought about it, he and that stupid cat were much closer since they met. Of course, they still bickered with each other often. They still, albeit more discreetly, verbally fought over Tohru; and they definitely still fought each other physically under the pretense of training. But still, they were at least friends now. So if it were possible for the rat and the cat to be friends, then maybe Akito caring-Yuki shuddered. Well, he would have to think more on this idea later: he had done enough meditating on the past for today. He glanced back through the window for Tohru, but she was nowhere to be found. The clothes hung airily on the line, the wind suddenly billowing them up before letting them drift gently down—but no Tohru.

"Oh, have you been standing there all morning?" Tohru's sweet voice beside him abruptly ended his search. Seeing him smile and take the basket she was carrying, Tohru grew rather flustered. "I mean, it's such a lovely day outside. Not that you're lazy or anything. I mean, uh, you know, I was thinking we should have picnic. It's so lovely outside. Of course, if you're too busy..."

Tohru prattled on and on. Yuki's smile grew. She was pretty cute when she did that. Tohru suddenly stopped speaking, and the silver-haired boy snapped to attention. She was looking at him expectantly but at his blank look, she asked again, "What have you been doing this morning?"

"Oh nothing, really," He responded calmly, his mysterious smile in place. "Just a little spring cleaning." He leaned closer and kissed her on the cheek. "And the picnic sounds lovely."

He moved past her to return the basket to the laundry room. Tohru stood there blushing, a dazed expression on her face. Finally she smiled brightly, "Great! I'll go tell Shigure and Kyo!"

Fin


End file.
